Healthy skin depends on what you eat
What is the role of diet in enhancing
youthful-appearing skin?
Healthy skin is the manifestation
of overall health and as such can
be influenced by the quality of diet.
Both micro and macronutrients play
crucial roles in maintaining skin
health. Certain essential vitamins
and antioxidants help in preventing
damage to skin from ultraviolent ray
exposure, oxidation and aid in skin
repair. A healthy diet rich in these
vitamins and antioxidants helps
maintain youthful-appearing skin.
Will drinking eight glasses of
water a day ensure proper skin
hydration?
Although studies have found no
objective improvement of wrinkles or
skin surface roughness with increased
water intake, dehydration can lead to
decreased skin turgor and dryness.
Water, however, is an essential
nutrient by itself as staying hydrated
is important for overall health.
Can foods worsen skin conditions?
Food allergies can cause skin rashes
or inflammation, besides leading
to a wide variety of symptoms
ranging from abdominal discomfort,
diarrhoea, headaches etc. Although
common culprits are gluten, soy, egg,
peanuts and milk, many people can be
sensitive to a wide variety of foods.
Elimination diets that are specially
designed to detect food allergies can
effectively identify the food triggers.
Medical skin conditions such as acne,
rosacea, eczema or psoriasis, can be
aggravated by eating certain foods

or consuming alcohol. Rosacea,
characterised by facial redness and
swelling, commonly can be triggered
by alcohol or certain types of food.
The temperature of beverages or

foods consumed can also cause this.
Can a low-glycemic diet reduce
acne (pimples)?
The focus of research in recent years
has been on glycemic index of foods
(i.e., the extent to which foods elevate
blood sugar levels).
Emerging
research now suggests there may be a
link between a low-glycemic diet and
an improvement in acne.
A study published in the July 2007
issue of the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition examined whether
male acne patients aged 15 to 25 who
followed a low-glycemic diet had a
reduction in acne lesions compared
to a group that consumed a diet rich
in carbohydrates. The study found
that at 12 weeks, acne lesions had
decreased more in the young men
in the low-glycemic group than
their counterparts in the comparison
group. (A low-glycemic diet has 25
percent of energy from protein and
45 percent from low-glycemic-index
carbohydrates.)

What do I eat for healthy hair?
A balanced diet provides essential
amino
acids,
vitamins
and
minerals required for healthy hair.

Micronutrients such as biotin, iron,
zinc, and selenium ensure normal hair
growth and repair of damaged hair. If
you are on a pure vegetarian diet, you
need to be aware of what foods can
provide these nutrients and how to
optimise their availability.
What is the role of nutrition in
maintaining nails?
Nails are affected by deficiency of
lot of vitamins, minerals and trace
elements; virtually every nutritional
deficiency can affect the growth of
the nail in some manner. Biotin and
trace elements like iron are essential
for maintaining healthy nails.

Thyroid disease can affect your eye
The treatment depends
on the severity and stage
of the disease: tablets,
injections, or surgery for
reconstruction are all
used.

Abnormal opening of right eye in thyroid
eye disease.

Same patient after surgery- eye is better
protected

Thyroid disorders are increasingly
detected among the population.
Thyroid affects the entire body, as well
as the eye. Unfortunately, most patients
either do not know that the eye can be
affected by thyroid abnormalities; or
they are under the impression that
they have to accept the discomfort
and changed appearance, without any
remedy. Let us understand more about
how thyroid disease affects the eye.
Who gets Thyroid Eye
Disease (TED), also called
Graves’ disease, Graves’
ophthalmopathy?
Most commonly, patients with
hyperthyroid (over-active thyroid)
suffer from thyroid eye disease. But
the disease is also seen in hypothyroid
patients (underactive thyroid). A small
percentage of the patients have TED,
without ANY other sign of thyroid
disease in the body.
It is estimated that more than half the
patients with thyroid disease develop
TED at some time.
How does thyroid eye
disease affect the eye?

Young woman with altered appearance due
to thyroid

Advertiser Feature

Same patient, back to normal condition
after reconstruction

In mild cases, the eye can feel gritty,
reddish, itchy. In moderate cases,
there can be occasional double vision,
a ‘bulging’ appearance of the eye,
difficulty in closing the eye. The
patient can feel pain around the eye,
and ‘pressure’ on the eye.
In severe cases, the vision may
decrease, the eye may have severe
redness, pain and watering, and
develop an ulcer. In the late, inactive
stage of the disease, the eye can have
a changed appearance, and a ‘staring,
bulging’ look.

How will I know there
is a threat to my vision?
Watch for the following signs1. The eye does not close well,
there is redness, pain, watering,
and/or a white spot on the
black part of the eye – affecting
the cornea.
2. Vision is not clear. The earliest
way to detect it is to look at a
bright red object every day,
one eye at a time. If the red
looks muddy and dull instead
of bright red, please contact
your doctor immediately.
3. W
atch for double vision, i.e.,
one object appearing like two.
What is the treatment
for thyroid eye disease?
Your physician will take care of the
thyroid disease in the body. However,
a well-controlled systemic thyroid
level does not always keep the eye
safe, and extra care is needed.
Thyroid eye disease is best treated by
an ophthalmologist who specializes
in the problem. Simple measures can
keep you more comfortable: mild
pain-killers, cool compresses, tear
substitutes, and elevation of the headend of the bed while sleeping, are
beneficial. Do stop smoking if you
have the habit. Go for a checkup every
3 to 6 months.

Treating mouth ulcers
Almost all of us have suffered from the dreaded mouth ulcers at some point
or the other in our life…and have been told that we have to grin and bear it!!
Mouth ulcers, also known as
Aphthous Ulcers are most common
among people between the ages of
10 to 60 years. They often appear
when the body’s immune system is
weak or compromised, with mouth
injury or by stress.
There are a lot of factors that can
trigger or cause a mouth ulcer to
develop such as infection with a
virus or bacteria, dental problems
and eating certain food. For now
mouth ulcer treatment is based on
relieving the pain and boosting the
healing process.
A variety of factors can cause
or trigger mouth ulcers such as:
biting the inside of your cheek, lip
or tongue, sharp or broken tooth,
using a toothbrush that is too hard,
hypersensitivity to certain foods,
Inherited, Vitamin deficiency,
especially B-complex, bacterial or
viral infection, hormonal changes,
medicines, anxiety, stress, poor oral
hygiene, spicy food, alcohol and
smoking.
SYMPTOMS
The ulcers begin as small red
swellings At this stage people will
often feel a burning or tingling
sensation. After a day the red
swelling bursts open. The ruptured

Treatment
It is normally said that you could
treat ulcers with medicines within
a week or it will otherwise take 7
days to get cured!!
When to see your doctor
or dentist?
• If the mouth ulcers have
not disappeared after two
weeks
• If you think that your
mouth ulcers are caused
by your medication
• If the mouth ulcer starts to
bleed
• When you have a sudden
outbreak of mouth ulcers
accompanied with a fever
• If you think that your
mouth ulcers are caused
by poorly fitted dentures

sores are covered by a thin white or
yellow membrane and edged by a
red inflamed border. Generally,the
sores heal within two weeks
without scarring. Mouth ulcers are
usually found on the movable parts
of the mouth, such as the tongue
or the inside lining of the lips and
cheeks, and at the base of the gums.

Although mouth ulcers will
disappear eventually by themselves,
they can cause a lot of pain and
discomfort and it takes a while for
them to heal.
There is no cure available for mouth
ulcers. Treatment of a mouth ulcer
is based on relieving the symptoms,
reducing the chance of returning
and promoting the healing process.
Before you start treating mouth
ulcers it is advised at first to pursue
an optimal oral hygiene.
A nightly dose of vitamin B12 is
advocated to prevent them from
recurring. In mild cases, use of
topical coating agents such as
Mucopain or Zilactin is appropriate.
In more severe cases, the use of
a high potency topical steroid
preparation, placed directly on the
lesion shortens healing time and
the size of the ulcer.For severe
cases who do not respond to topical
therapy the use of systemic therapy
should be considered.

n Sunday, June 3rd, two men pretending to be
BESCOM officials conned R Nagarajan and his wife
Swarnalatha, residents of BTM II stage, into buying
cheap CFL bulbs at a high price.
According to Nagarajan, one of the men identified
himself as a BESCOM Junior Engineer, Srinivas. He then
convinced Nagarajan that BESCOM was distributing CFL
lamps to senior citizens to replace the regular powerhungry incandescent bulbs.
Nagarajan says, “They said they will give us 12 bulbs
free and another 12 for Rs 2400, which was supposed
to be adjusted in the electricity bills of the subsequent
4 months.”
BESCOM reacts
Citizen Matters spoke to BESCOM MD P Manivannan
who said:
Even if we get a complaint, our staff cannot do anything
legally, unless we grab those impersonators and hand
them over to police. Our staff are there to serve you on
electrical issues, and they are not trained to respond/catch
impersonators. So, next time, please inform the local police.
Do not entertain anybody from BESCOM or any other
organisation whenever they ask for any money, unless you
call up the helpline and confirm they are bonafide.

Swarnalatha and Nagarajan. Inset: the fake bulbs. Pic: AA.

No receipt was given and the bulbs given were also not
ISI marked. On peeling the price sticker, this reporter
saw the price marked as Rs 34 per piece.
When Nagarajan tried to complain about the con job to
BESCOM, he says they refused to entertain his complaint.

Abhishek Angad

abhishekangad@citizenmatters.in

2 years at the lake!
by registering as an NGO
for the TCS Bangalore 10K
run.

The past year has been very
eventful, with our focus on making
Puttenahalli Lake a well-patronised
Public Open Space and a secure
avian habitat.
Our sincere appreciation to our
volunteers: PNLIT Mitra, PNLIT Young
Rangers and other volunteers.
A lot of recognition has also come
our way - featured on Times Now
Amazing Indians, shortlisted as a
finalist for the Namma Bengaluru
Awards, interviewed and featured in
various media. We were delighted
to receive a grant from Mahindra
to meet some of our infrastructure
expenditure. We raised some money

We have started new
citizen-participation
initiatives:
Weekend
Volunteers, Senior Citizen
Volunteers, community gardening
and composting. We now grow
vegetables at the lake and have
planted lots of fruit trees, which we
hope will help in making the lake
self-sustaining in future. Our PNLIT
Shutterbugs and Birdwatchers have
diligently documented the bird
visits to Puttenahalli Lake.
Rain Water Harvesting is now
operational at Puttenahalli Lake. Our
other educational initiatives include
nature walks and bird watching,
birthday tours, etc.
Arathi Manay Yajaman is a trustee
of PNLIT.

6 CITIZEN MATTERS 16 - 30 June 2012 Vol-4 Issue-10

We have launched PNLIT
“LAKE=LIFE” T-shirts
to increase awareness
about the importance
of lakes and PNLIT’s
model of citizen participation in the preservation
of our Public Open Spaces.
The money generated will go
towards the maintenance and
improvement of Puttenahalli
Lake.
These “Anniversary Limited
Edition” Unisex T-shirts are
available in Green Polo neck
(sizes S, M, L, XL at Rs 390,
Assorted colour Round neck
(sizes S, M, L - Rs 280) and
suitable for children from age
8 upwards and adults.
To get your T-shirts, call
9449039195 (L&T South
City) or 9845079076 (Brigade
Millennium).

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local matters

Back to basics with organic farming
S Laxminarayan, 36, a software
engineer by profession, is also a
part-time urban farmer. He aims
to get people started on kitchen
gardening. He is a co-founder of
Garden City Farmer’s Trust that
aims to spread awareness on
organic farming. He lives in ISRO
layout with his wife Sowmya M, a
physiotherapist. Edited excerpts
from his interview.

You use a cycle for commuting while your
motorbike and car are covered in dust.
Are you a green enthusiast?
Well, I am just getting ready for
the future. Natural resources are
depleting due to use and abuse of
it. So I thought of using a bicycle,
Pic: Abhishek Angad
at least doing my bit. Also, this was
the apt moment to buy
agriculture, one
as petrol prices are going
Nimma
really
doesn’t
high.
neighbour
need any farming

Why did you get into urban
farming all of a sudden?

It happened during the financial
crisis, around 2008. I was
scared of losing my job. And
I started wondering, what
kind of sustainability we
have. I wanted go back to
the basics and develop ways
to sustain myself. I also met
Dr B N Vishwanath (former
UAS Professor and an organic
farming expert), my dad’s
friend and at his place, there
was a tomato plant. It made
me think, why can’t I grow
that? I also realised whatever I
am eating, however beautiful it
may be, I am not sure whether
it has come without chemicals
or pesticide. There was also a lot
of noise about ill-effects of the
usage of endosulfan. So all this
led me to farming.

start farming.

to

I grow veggies like tomato, brinjal,

AbhisheK Angad

ALERT: Bannerghatta Road section ONE-WAY
Bannerghatta Rd from Sagar hospital junction towards
Gurappana palya junction stretch is going to be one
way traffic, from June 16th onwards.
Vehicles coming from Jayadeva flyover have to take
left turn at gurappanapalya junction as shown in the
map. They will then have to take a right at East End
Main Road in Jayanagar 9th Block and take another
right at Swagath Road before hitting Bannerghatta
Road again.
Vehicles coming from Diary circle comings towards
Jayadeva flyover can proceed as usual. Src: Traffic police

Jun 5th environment day saw a
cloth bag initiative at Jayanagar
Complex. Newsmakers including
Vasundhara Das, Bhavana,
Malavika Avinash and Sunil Raoh
autographed the shopping bags.
This was a initiative by Citizen
Matters and Prakruthi.

Does this require any agricultural
background? What do you grow?
Though I got tips from my
parents as they practised

background

spinach and fruits like grapes which
I have started it recently. It won’t
suffice daily needs (completely) but
I remember producing around 25
kgs of tomato and 6 kgs of brinjal, in
the months, Jan to April, 2012.

Pic: Sankar C G

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Vol-4 Issue-10 16 - 30 June 2012 CITIZEN MATTERS 7

check outs

Coffee, kaapi, it’s all here
With so many coffee joints sprouting
up around town, we Bangaloreans are
pretty much spoilt for choice. Along with
coffee that you can pick up and drink onthe-go, meals that are made to go with
that fresh cuppa are the new deal.

S

everal upmarket coffee joints
offer great combos so that
your coffee becomes a full blown
meal. Pairing it with freshly baked
pizzas and sandwiches is a current
favourite. Of course, muffins
and cookies remain constant
companions of the brew.
But what kind of coffee do you
choose? Caramel laced, chocolate
laden, or topped up with whipped
cream and sprinkles? Bangalore is
lucky enough to be home to some
rather unique combinations. Lemon
infused ( completely serious here),
or blended with pastry? We have it.
Frappés and cappuccinos abound
for those who like a little Italian in
their cup. You can find delectable
cheese cakes too, heavy on Irish
creme, Oreo cookies or even berries
to best suit the coffee you choose.

All the pictures from wikemedia.commons

Cold coffees are increasingly scoring
well with customers, and it doesn’t
look like hot coffees are making
comebacks just yet. But for those
who still hold on to the heat, double
espressos
and filter kaapis still
d r a w
admirers in the
city. After a
plate of hot
idlis or some
other Southern
specialty,
filter
coffee just can’t be
beat!
And it’s not just the
coffee shop chains
that have scored
with
customers,
but little cafés too.
Although they may

be hard to
spot, tucked
in between
supermarkets
and jewellery stores,
you can find spaces that are
big on flavour and variety, in terms
of both food and drink.
However, coffee is not all that the
city has to offer - flavoured teas are
all the rage too. Strawberry, lemon,

Gaana Srinivas is a student of
Communications at Mt.Carmel
College and is a summer intern at
Citizen Matters.

mint, even chocolate flavoured teas
have found a place in the stomachs
and hearts of the city’s hangoutloving crowd. Several places around
town have dedicated themselves
solely to the ‘other’ beverage.
I hope you’re hungry now. If you
are, here are a few places worth
checking out.

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The mightier gift
W

hen was the last time you bought
a pen? How much did it cost? Was
it made of plastic or coated with gold?
Yes some pens are made of gold and
can cost up to a couple of lakhs.
Brand name, as in any other retail
product is a key factor with the
pricing of pens too. From Parker,
Pierre Cardin, Cross, Sheaffer,
Baoer, Waterman, Mont Blanc,
Caran d’Ache, Q, the list is long.
You have a plethora of designs,
trends and styles to choose
from.

It
also depends on the material from which
pens are made from. The
regular pens
generally
have plastic
bodies.
But
there are pens made from in carbon
fibre, stainless steel,
Chinese
lacquer,
Aluminium
and
rhodium, with coats
of silver and gold! Gosh! And so much for
writing! They are either
ballpoint pens or
ink pens. These
brands don’t have
gel pens.
So, gone are the days when pen was
considered just a set of a plastic body and a
refill, or even plain old fountain pen, just
enough to get your work done. Pens
have evolved into a status symbol,
a trend, a style
statement.
These pens
are mostly
used for the
corporate

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Check outs

gifting purposes.
Some companies
buy them in bulk
during
seminars
and conferences. The
brands depends on their
budget.
There is also a trend
of customised pens.
You can
get names engraved
over these pens.
Corporates use this the most. They can get the name of
their companies engraved over these pens.
Well, here’s a secret little tip for you. Pens make for a
wonderful gift when you are not sure what to give and
still want to make it special, regardless of the gender.
So go to the nearest
store and pick your
favourite pen, and write
it all out in style. Don’t
forget to flaunt
one over your
shirt pocket
as well!
You can pick
your choice of
pens from:
William Penn:
# 145, 1st
Main, 5th Block,
Koramangala. Ph: 25537803, 41104428,
40535555
Sapna Book house: # 6, 80 Feet Road, 7th
Block, Koramangala. Ph: 40839999
Pen Fold: # 174/A, 19th Main, Sector 4, HSR
Layout. Ph: 8553011056, 25724864

Anisha Nair

anisha@citizenmatters.in

Vol-4 Issue-10 16 - 30 June 2012 CITIZEN MATTERS 9

exclusive

With no power to protect lakes,
LDA limps

Construction debris being dumped on
Agara Lake bed. Pic: Sankar C G

I

t has been four years since
Bangalore’s Lake Development
Authority (LDA), put forward a bill
demanding more power and funds
to protect the city’s lakes. The wait
seems endless for the cabinet’s
approval of the proposed LDA bill.
If passed, the bill will provide both
resources and enforcement power
to the LDA.
Strangely the ‘authority’ was formed
under the Societies Registration
Act, 1860, with practically no powers
to act against violators. “LDA is
working like a society. Lack of
resources not allowing us for a fullfledged functioning. So we decided
to propose a LDA bill in 2008,” says
Rama Acharya, Public Information
Officer, LDA.
LDA was formed in 2002 by
Karnataka’s environment ministry.
It has been funded by the State
government.
According to LDA, Bangalore
originally had 2785 lakes. People
used lake water for domestic and
agricultural activities. But due to
industrialisation and urbanisation,
90% of the lakes have vanished. But
without teeth and resources to back
it up, LDA is unable to do much.
Currently there are 207 lakes
surviving. Of these, BBMP is

What LDA seeks
through the bill
1. Power to take action
against lake encroachers.
2. Power to take action
against lake polluters.
3. Enough resources for task
forces, and sufficient engineers.
4. Bring more lakes under
its ambit.
5. Sufficient funds for lake
development.
Non-existent enforcement currently
Taking care of even these six lakes
has not been possible for the LDA.
When Citizen Matters asked about
the dumping of construction wastes
and pollution in Agara Lake, Acharya
said, “We cannot take action against

10 CITIZEN MATTERS 16 - 30 June 2012 Vol-4 Issue-10

those who are violating the lake. But
we have informed about this to the
Revenue Department and KSPCB.”
LDA officials say their notices have
been in vain. Eighteen cases are
pending for the past two years with
Karnataka State Pollution Control
Board (KSPCB) with regard to the
lake pollution.
Despite its lack of powers and
funds, LDA has been able to do
some work. Last year, the authority
did a lake water analysis on 86
lakes in Bangalore. 39 lakes were
highly polluted and 47 moderately
polluted.
But again, no action could be taken.

The long wait continues
“Once LDA bill is passed, we
will have enough resources and
power. Then we can take action
against those who are polluting or
encroaching the lake. Moreover we
will have enough resources to work
for the preservation of lakes,” said Dr
Ravi Ralph, CEO of LDA, echoing the
line taken by his PRO, Acharya.
For a bill to become a law, it has to
pass through different stages. But
the LDA bill has not even passed the
initial stages, since its drafting, says
Ravi.

Sankar C G

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cm special

Unlicensed day clinics going scot free

O

n 8th May, BBMP issued a notice meant as a final
warning to unlicensed health units to obtain trade
licenses. But this was not the first time; BBMP had issued
the notice thrice before - first on 5th December 2010,
second in February 2011 and the third in June 2011.
Despite these notices, 937 health units out of a 2648
hospitals surveyed by BBMP were unregistered as of
March 2012.
The notice makes it mandatory for health units to have
an up-to-date receipt of tax payment, an authorisation
letter from KSPCB (Karnataka State Pollution Control
Board), an agreement with authorised bio-medical waste
collectors - Semb Ramky Environment Management
Pvt Ltd or Maridi Eco Industries Private Limited. Along
with this, they should pay one year’s fee as mentioned
in Suvarna Arogya Paravanige-2007 to obtain trade
license.

What is biomedical waste?
Most visits to the hospital - for vaccinations, minor surgeries, major surgeries - all leave behind a
trail of biomedical waste. If this is not scientifically disposed, it can cause serious trouble. For
example, if you get a vaccination, the syringe,
needle and even the cotton used becomes biomedical waste.
Biomedical waste if mixed with municipal waste
can be hazardous. It can cause diseases like cholera, plague, tuberculosis, hepatitis (especially
HBV), AIDS (HIV), diphtheria etc, and pose
grave public health risk.

Biomedical waste should be segregated

and
Handling) and disposed of with authorised waste
Rules, 1998, the collectors. Pic: Abhishek Angad
organisation/
institution generating waste is responsible for ensuring
that such waste is handled without any adverse effect to
human health and the environment.
So either the health units generating bio-medical waste
should have an incineration plant to disinfect or burn it,
or tie up with any private agencies for the same. Most
hospitals found the latter viable. In 2001, two private
players Semb Ramky Environment Management Pvt
Ltd and Maridi Eco Industries Private Limited got the
tender to handle waste in Karnataka. These two got the
contract out of the 14 that had applied.
Maridi has its incineration plant in Kanakapura
and Ramky has its plant in Tumkur Road. The two
organisations collect biomedical waste in four colorcoded bags, segregated by the concerned health unit.
KSPCB remains the monitoring authority of the private
players.

To obtain a trade license, the health units have to Maridi caters to South and East Bengaluru along with
declare whether they generate bio-medical waste. Mandya, Kolar, Chickballapur and Ramanagara and
handles roughly 1600 health units in Bangalore. M A
This will ensure that the health units
Srinath, Vice President Operations,
generating bio-medical waste have
an arrangement with Ramky or Health units include hospitals, Maridi, claims that almost all bedded
hospitals are covered in Bangalore
Maridi, for safe disposal of such waste. super-speciality hospitals,
either by his company or Ramky, but
Dr T Devaki Umesh, BBMP’s health clinics, nursing homes, dental also mentions that day clinics remain
officer (West), says that it is mostly clinics, health clinics like
a nuisance for them.
the day clinics that are not licensed. spas, Unani and Ayurvedic
“The day clinics are present in every
However, on Sunday, 10th June, dispensaries, Ayush centre,
nook and corner of Bangalore
BBMP held a meeting with doctors of
yoga centres, blood banks,
and many are not registered. They
day clinics to sort this issue. She adds,
generate lot of waste. Also, the
“70 people applied for the license and laboratories, veterinary
hospitals
and
shelter
homes.
timings of the day clinics are irregular,
we will see some more soon.”
which makes it difficult for us to
Who is supposed to collect biomedical
collect the waste regularly.”

waste?

According to the Bio-medical Waste (Management
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istorically, human civilisation’s
growth is punctuated with
attention to weight and to diet.
Diet fads like low fat diet, low
carbohydrate diet, Duke diet, Couch
Potato diet, HCG Diet, GM diet,
banana breakfast diet, no breakfast
diet, fruit diet, salad diet, tomato
diet, etc. have evolved over time. In
this maze, we have lost sight of what
is known as balanced diet.

A balanced diet is a balanced
proportion of different components
are - carbohydrates, proteins and
fats. In addition body requires
certain vitamins, nutrients, and
minerals to perform for different
body functions. Body requires
certain specific compounds like
anti-oxidants, vitamins, fibres, and
certain supplements.

Peer
pressure,
celebrity
endorsement and Size-zero concept
contributes to Diet Fads. Some
also have the desire to lose a lot of
weight, that too very fast!

To reduce weight, the options are to
reduce total calorie intake, reduce
specific components of food and
burn up more calories. However

The key to lose weight without
diet fads lies in balanced diet and
balanced lifestyle.

What a pest (Part III)
I

n the early days of my garden, I
have been harassed a fair deal
by the Mealybug! Of course I now
realise that it was probably because
I had not ensured that the soil was
healthy enough.
Mealybugs tend to gather on the
affected plant in large numbers,
forming white cottony masses.
They start at the newer growth tips
and spread to ‘hard to reach’ areas
like the underside of leaves, inside
fruit bunches, crevices of the bark
and stem. They cause damage by
sucking the juice from the host plant
and secreting a waxy susbtance
that sometimes even causes other
fungal growth like black sooty mold.
Like most pests, the best control for
mealy bugs is defensive. Healthy,
vigorous plants are less susceptible
to infestation than weak and
stressed plants. Mealy bugs can

Pic: wikimedia commons

be dislodged with a steady stream
of water. Repeat the treatment as
necessary. This works well for light
infestations. Neem oil acts as a
fungicide and plants can absorb
it so that they develop a greater
resistance.

12 CITIZEN MATTERS 16 - 30 June 2012 Vol-4 Issue-10

If an infestation cannot be
controlled after two or three weekly
applications of insecticide, consider
destroying the plant before the
mealybugs spread to other plants in
your home.

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editorial

Life beyond tinted glasses
I
t has been two weeks since the June
5th deadline to remove sun films from
cars. The urgency to evade fine has died
down. The garages don’t have long
queues anymore. They did make a lot
of money though. On the last day, one
of the garages in Bommanahalli made
`15,000 rupees, just by removing films.
However, the owner of the garage was
not pleased. ‘It is a lot of work for `300
per car, madam’ he said.
Has there been a lull in crimes, especially
against women, post the removal of
sun films? After all, that was the reason
cited. Probably too early to say.
But here are things that have changed
because of the sun film removal.
Air Conditioning in the car is turned
up higher because monsoon is still
evading the city and it is pretty hot
during the day. One couple decided
to wait till summer was over saying ‘at
least this year we will cut down on the
air conditioning costs.’ Laptops, wallets,
blazers, laundry, veggies etc., cannot be

left in the parked car. The first four for
the fear of theft and the veggies might
not hold up without the sun film cutting
down some of the heat.
Women, for whose protection the
Supreme Court had made the ruling,
feel this is not a great idea. Women
are now openly stared at while sitting
inside cars. Earlier, there was a screen of
protection. However flimsy or illegal.
I heard a young mother complain, that
traveling with her infant has become
harder since she cannot breastfeed
while stuck in long traffic jams. The
father added, ‘yes, nappy changes too
have become difficult.’
Also if there are no tinted glasses
there isn’t a way for one check one’s
appearance while on the move. No
more mirrors parked by the roadside.
There is an entire lifestyle that has been
built around tinted glasses that has
to be rethought now. Who would’ve
guessed?

Physics, frog
figurines and baking
Shobhana Narasimhan travels the world teaching
physics. But there is more to her than just science. A
peek into a physicist’s life.

It’s a little bit different. Some skills
are the same like having a good
writing style, but you have to think
logically and clearly. I do teach
writing in JNC. I teach them how
to write scientific papers which is
different from writing fiction. You
have to see a pattern in your head
and get it out clearly, use simpler
words. I teach different writing styles
like how to read a recipe from a
cookbook and how to read scientific
instruction. Then they take a recipe
from a cookbook and convert it in
a scientific style. Like how to make
chocolate pudding written like a lab
manual. That makes it easier for the
Physics students to understand and
write the scientific papers in simpler
manner.

Has there been an increase in the number
of women joining Physics?

“K

issing a lot of frogs before I
meet my prince charming.”
She laughs when asked about
her collection of around 150
frog figurines of all shapes and
sizes.
Shobhana
Narasimhan,
48, is a professor and chairman
at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for
Advanced
Scientiﬁc
Research
(JNCASR), Bangalore. She has a PhD
in Physics from Harvard University,
Cambridge. This world traveller is
passionate about social work and
encouraging women in the field of
physics.

As a school student you had a phobia
for Physics. How did you end up being a
physicist?
Even though I scored well in physics,
I had a mental block that I was not
good at physics. But in my junior
college I had good teachers. I learnt
more modern things in physics like

Scientist has hobbies too
I read a lot. Probably four
to five books in a week. I
am very interested in art.
I like to go to museums. I
bake when I have time.
quantum mechanics and relativity.
I found them interesting. I was
asked to do an essay for a radio
programme for children on Einstein.
When I was reading about Einstein, I
read about his discoveries and work.
I found all of that really interesting
and then I got really fascinated with
physics.

You also teach scientific writing. How
have you inculcated these writing
methods to your students?

14 CITIZEN MATTERS 16 - 30 June 2012 Vol-4 Issue-10

I have to say ‘no’. In the US, there
is generally this assumption that
the women are not smart enough
to go into science. They are really
fighting hard for it and the number
of women in science is gradually
increasing in the US. In India, I felt
that this idea was not there. But
I don’t know why they disappear
afterwards (after completing their
Graduation and Post Graduation in
science)
But they are doing more of biology.
So why are they not in physics - is
a puzzle. Even now if you look at
the professors in physics, there are
very few women. It is only about
5% to 10% in the top departments
of the research institutes in India. In
colleges, maybe a little higher. But it
is not clear why.

What was your role as a member of the
task force for women in science, set up by
the Govt of Maharashtra, dept of Physics,
set up in 2003?
That was meant to examine why
are there so few women in science.
What can be done to increase the
number of women in science? And
give recommendations.

Anisha Nair

anisha@citizenmatters.in

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Citizen Matters
Bangalore’s own interactive
newsmagazine

Reach out to the city.
Reach out to your
neighbourhood!

Over one lakh print
and online readers!

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see & do
MUSIC & Dance
A Kuchipudi dance feature
PARAMPARA
Vyjayanthi Kashi along with
her daughter and disciple Ms.
Prateeksha Kashi is presenting a
Kuchipudi Dance Duet billed as
“PARAMPARA” as part of Nrityantara.
Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Wed 20 Jun,
8pm
SAMA conference 2012
Sri Academy of Music and Arts
is organising day long program
including musical recitals, free
workshops.
Sunday 17 June, Auden Public School,
No-6, Banashankari 3rd stage,
Hosakerehalli

Workshop

FREE Woodworking Workshop
Sunday, June 24,10am at Esthete
Studio/Factory, #24, 8th/7th
Main(Cross), Tavarekere Main Road,
Opposite “Zenith”, Close to St. John’s
Woods Apartments and Oracle. Look
out for Karnataka Wood and Ply. Ph:
9902059328
Travellers Meet
Travelers Thursday, where traveler
converse about where they came
from and where they are going
next. The experience of learning
and growing, to challenge our self,
stretch our self limits and foster an
appreciation for people who set
out to experience new destinations,
culture and breath taking moments.
Be there because some roads aren’t
meant to be travelled alone….
6.30 pm, 21 Jun, Jaaga, double Road
Discover Bengaluru through art
Art House is organizing various art
workshops on sketching and water
colour.
Venkatappa Art Gallery campus,

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Features

A treat for photography enthusiasts
JP Nagar and BTM parks will host 40+ framed
cityscapes over the weekend. Why go to a
gallery to see the best of photography?
‘Art 4 Public’ is coming to your doorstep!

C

itizen Matters, in association with Red Frames is
hosting a photography exhibition, on June 16th and
17th, at two venues in South Bangalore.
The selected images are from ‘Frames of my City’ contest
held late last year, that witnessed a spectacular response.

June 16, 5:30pm to 7:30 pm at Kuvempu Nagar
Park, BTM 2nd Stage
June 17, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Dhanavantri
Park, JP Nagar 2nd Phase
The travelling exhibition gathers the collective talents
and perspectives of amateur as well as professional
photographers across India. Moving from online to
print, to a collector book to exhibitions across India,
‘Frames of my City’ has made a tangible, valuable impact
in the field of photography.

Selvaprakash, the Bangalore based photographer posing next to his award winning
picture (file pic). You can see this and more at the show!

A Vidyashankar, a member of RWA BTM layout feels this
is a great initiative, “With more such events, residents
will have something nice to look forward to”, he says.
Venkatesan Perumal, a well known photographer and
founder of Red Frames, the photography site, says,
“Photographers across the country can showcase their
talent, it is a welcome opportunity to take it back to the
people, who are the real audience”.

Newsdesk

Meet the rat control brigade
W

underground
e have a lot of birds
Nature Feature
and open sewers
around us in the
Deepa Mohan
of our city, and
city. Some eat seeds, some
since many of
fruits and some eat live
them are rabid, they spread diseases,
prey. We’ve all seen sparrows pecking
too.
at the grain in the market areas, or
seen parakeets pecking at ripe fruit...
When the population of
but some birds are predators.
rodents increases, Nature’s
way of maintaining the
Here’s the Barn Owl. It often
balance is to get birds like the
roosts and nests in groups near
Barn Owls to the spot! These
apartment buildings, or homes
nocturnal birds, prey upon
with gardens. For some
the rodents, and actually
reason, it is traditionally
considered a bird of ill omen.
help us stem the rising rodent
population. So, they should be
Some people don’t like
thought of as good omens, not
them because they often
bring dead rats and
bad!
mice, and make a very
Several Barn Owls hunt around
disturbing
“chirring”
noise
my building and I love watching their
all night. But have we considered why
noiseless flight as they swoop down
the dead rats and mice are there?
upon their prey!
Our urban lifestyle generates a lot
Another bird that controls rodents is
of trash, much of it food waste. And
the Shikra. Shikras are small and have
rodents - rats, mice, bandicoots,
the typical hooked beaks and sharp
thrive on this trash. They live in the
claws that birds of prey have. They

are active at dawn or dusk, but can
sometimes be seen in daylight, also,
sitting quietly on the branch of a tree,
or any other roost where they feel
comfortable.
So...when going for a walk, especially
at dawn or dusk... do look around and
see if you can spot these members of
the Rat Control Brigade! Yes, both of
them are fairly common in Bangalore.

Left: Barn Own. Right: Shikra. Pic: DM

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Vol-4 Issue-10 16 - 30 June 2012 CITIZEN MATTERS 17

last word

So what do I do all day?

What was it that the mothers did, staying in this mysterious place called home
where there really wasn’t much to do except manage a kid or two, keep them clean
and well fed and keep the house looking like it wasn’t rummaged by a tornado.

I

t takes you so long to
write a 700 word story!
Said the horrified editor
friend of mine. I counted
sheep in my head (helps
me stay calm. Another
good alternative is the
in-yourhead-grocery
list) and waited for the
one question that I hate

them the question: So
what is it that you do the
whole day?

confessionS of a second time mom

Reshmi Chakraborty

“Umm...you really want to
know?” Asked the friend
with a four month old.
The edge in her voice
should have warned me
off but I ploughed on. “At
7 I clean the baby’s diaper.
7.15 is feeding time. 7.30
there’s a diaper change
again. 8 there’s some
feeding again. By 9 I grab
whatever food I can see
around the house as I am
so hungry I could eat an
entire buffet and possibly
even the baby. Happy
now?” I hang up, longtime
friendship at stake.

Pic: Reshmi Chakraborty

The other one is better
behaved but has no time
to talk. “Sorry dear. My
daughter’s friends are
coming over and I need
to make some nutritious
homemade pizzas or else
nobody will send their
children over to our fast
food consuming house
again.”
hearing ever since I gave
up working full time to be
a stay at home mother: So
what do you do all day?
Really, what was it that I
did the entire day? And
what was it that the other
mothers did, staying in this
mysterious place called
home where there really
wasn’t much to do except
manage a kid or two,
keep them clean and well
fed and keep the house

looking like it wasn’t
rummaged by a tornado.
It didn’t require excel
sheets or meetings so how
tough or time consuming
could it be?
If general opinion is to be
believed, there isn’t much
that is done all day except
for the above mentioned
cleaning/feeding
bits,
along with copious TV
watching and (gasp) even
visits to the salon! With
eight luxurious hours

18 CITIZEN MATTERS 16 - 30 June 2012 Vol-4 Issue-10

stretching before her,
what’s a woman to do!
Since I fall in the above
category of moms with
nothing much to do but
still do not get the time to
finish a 700 word article
in 7 days, I decided to do
some stock taking with
other mummy pals of
mine. Clearly I was a failure
in time management and
had it all wrong. I was sure
they had it all figured out.
So I decided to ask them

The third keeps it short
and to the point. “Cannot
talk. Filing the husband’s
tax returns. After that
need to take the car for
servicing. Busy day. In fact
this is how all my days are.
I am the secretary cum
driver cum housekeeper
cum babysitter.”
The fourth cuts my call. I
had made the mistake of
texting her my question.
Amen.

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